Authors' Thread (New! Improved! Now With 10% More Questions!)

Mr Shuffle,

I would recommend a couple of things:

1. (A writer's thing)
A little patience off the hop. On completion, put aside the tome for a couple of days before re-reading, reviewing, rewriting, toning up. I'd concentrate on the first few chapters or -- depending on the text -- a couple of your best chapters. Either you're going to (a) send off the entire ms, or (b) send off a sample chapter or two. In the case of (a): You want to have complete confidence in gaining the reader's interest from word one and keeping him going. In the case of (b): You want to show off your best to best effect. I'd lean towards (b). Trailers are always better than movies.

2. (a business thing)
(a) or (b) doesn't matter. It's time to get an agent. Unless you already have friends in publishing, some sort of connection or contact, your prose could be in the express lane to the slush pile. An agent can't guarantee that anything will get read every time out, but an agent is your best bet for getting your book considered in the abstract at the very least. An editor will duly note that you've won the confidence of someone in the business -- agents won't run around for 15 percent of nothing.

YHS, etc

 

I'll echo the advice of FotF - and pitch the book like you're pitching an article, except instead of a query letter, the pitch is, essentially, your sample chapter. In many instances, but not all, this should be the beginning of the book (or at least as it is envisioned now, because it will probably change), but, as always, you've got to hook them with your lead. Follow the basic book proposal format discussed here and available in books and websites elsewhere.

Secondly - unless you have a serious in with a publisher already (and I mean SERIOUS, as in friend or blood relation with an editor, a previous working relationship, or a contact with an established writer in their stable who can recommend you) you are pitching to an agent, one that will hopefully work on the proposal with you more to get it ready for submission. Although many will say to send them just the sample chapter, at least make an attempt at the proposal, particularly the marketing and competitive book part - to show you've done your homework and give them a reason to think this is going to make money and so you don't look like an idiot by ignoring the existence of a book almost identical that was published two years ago.

Don't pitch books blindly to editors without an agent - that's how I got hundreds of rejections, most from the kid who opened the mail and decided which form letter to respond with, (and the publishers who will respond, like MacFarland for instance won't want to pay you money and you might be better off holding the idea back rather than wasting what might be a good idea with a minor league outfit that won't do anything for the book). That's a setup to fail. Are there exceptions? Yes, but don't count on being one.

 

I'll just throw my 2 cents in from my publishing experience.

1) You've got one strike, not three. Make sure your first proposal/submission is the best it can be because you won't get a second chance. That's why agents are handy--to tell you that "No, that will lose them at 'hello'."

As in Exile says, don't throw out half baked "ideas". Publishers are looking for reasons to turn down books.

2) Publishers do NOT want to see a finished ms at the proposal level. (I'm talking non-fiction here but you could still make the argument for fiction). If you don't get the publisher past the chapter outline/sample chapter stage, a completed ms is just annoying.

3) Find an agent. Tout de suite.

 

Thought some of you book writing fools might enjoy this nugget I saw today on one of my favorite book blogs, Maud Newton, an excerpt from a speech by William Maxwell on novel writing:

"As a result of too long and too intense concentration, the novelist sooner or later begins to act peculiarly. During the genesis of his book, particularly, he talks to himself in the street; he smiles knowingly at animals and birds; he offers Adam the apple, for Eve, and with a half involuntary movement of his right arm imitates the writhing of the snake that nobody knows about yet. He spends the greater part of the days of his creation in his bathrobe and slippers, unshaven, his hair uncombed, drinking water to clear his brain, and hardly distinguishable from an inmate in an asylum."

Happy typing.

 

I wish I owned a bathrobe.

 

Although if you're going for the asylum look, the unshaven-uncombed-with-slippers concept works much better naked.

 

Christmas is right around the corner, Monsieur jgmacg. Perhaps the Writer's Workshop gang can round up a few crumpled, sweaty dollars and make this happen.

I see a great work of literature in your future by Easter. At the latest.

 

Here's the actual book-writing outfit I'll be shipping to the Smithsonian. Mr. Maxwell - of course - was a far more dapper madman.

 

In my most hopelessly immature moments, I wish I looked like Sonny Corelone prior to the McClusky and Turk hit. So,my preferred clothing when it comes to writing:





It's not a look that I can pull off easily. Or at all. So ladies, calm yourselves.

 

one small suggestion

this can quickly become an obsession

but there is a point of diminishing returns

force yourself not to work beyond your daily limits

if you're getting frustrated and feel like the effort isn't paying off, shut down. maybe set a nightly 11 p.m. shutdown time. work out in the morning or do something daily to relax.

it's easy to let a project like this overwhelm you. i found that if you stick as much as possible to some sort of routine it helps a lot

 

Thanks Stone.

I'm finding that a couple days away from the project has been a salvation.

 

Update...for those who care and even if you don't.

I've been hard at work writing the proposal, trying to make it not suck and I'm up to 11 pages.